Electric radiator



Nov. 8, 1955 G. ANTONI l 2,723,338

ELECTRIC RADIATOR /f K7@ @L ff y@ TT g-@vwd WWW/W2 .2757

Nov. 8, 1955 G. ANT0N| ELECTRIC RADIATOR 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. ll,1951 IPPDPIIP PPP I N V EN TOR. Wwf/7&5 AWM/W Nov. 8, 1955 G. ANTONIELECTRIC RADIATOR 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. ll, 1951 1N VEN TOR.57555/5257 W5/55W C/MY WML) United States Patent @nice 2,723,338Patented Nov. 8,4 I1955 ELECTRIC RADIATUR Giuseppe Antoni,Montepulciano, Italy, assignor of fifty per cent to Raphael P. Muccilli,New York, N. Y.

i i Application December 11, 1951, SerialNo. 261,@85

- 2 claims..L (cl. zia- 34) The present invention relates to radiatorsand heaters of the dry type, and particularly to an electric radiator.

The main object of my invention is to provide a radiator that is capableof radiating a large amount of clean dry heat and being operated byelectric current.

Another object ofthe invention is to have an electric radiator that iscapable of accumulating heat from the electric current and operating sothat the heat will be distributed to best advantage.

VA further object of this invention is to provide a special electricradiator that is mainly built up of ceramic parts so as to be economicalto make and also eifective in use.

It is also an object to have such a radiator in which the various partswhen assembled provide intermediate channels or passages for electricheating coils in properly distributed positions-and also effectivelysupported for permanent installation if'desired.

A practical object is to have a radiator of the character indicated thatmay be made in various forms and sizes according to requirements and thetaste of the purchasers intending to use the same.

Yet another object is to have such an electric radiator that is capableof being made into a conveniently portable device which may be shiftedfrom one room to another and from part of a room to another positiontherein at will.

It is even an object so to construct an electric radiator ofthementioned kind that may have solid or hollow ceramic parts or be made ofa .single ceramic block of `special form.

An object is also to include in the construction of the radiator specialmeans for containing water to humidify the air as it is heated by theapparatus. A

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in greaterdetail as the specification proceeds.

In order to facilitate ready comprehension of this invention for aproper appreciation of the salient features thereof, the invention isillustrated on the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, and inwhich:

Figurel isa perspective View of a radiator made according to theinvention and embodying the same in a practical form;

Figure 2 is a transverse section of the same radiator as ytaken on line2 2 in Figure l;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary vertical section as taken on line 3-3 in thesame Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a longitudinal section as taken 0n line 4 4 in Figure 2; v

yFigure 5 is a top plan view of one of the ceramic radiator elements ofthe radiator of Figures 1 to 4;

Figure 6 is a front elevation ofthe same element of f Figure 5;

K tion of ceramic element; f

Figure 10 is a typical wiring diagram of the radiator of Figures 1 to 9;

Figure 11 is a fragmentary vertical section of the radiator of Figure 1as taken on line 11-11 therein;

Figure l2 is a similar fragmentary section showing a modification of theconstruction of Figure 1l;

Figure 13 is a vertical section of the radiator element of Figure 9 astaken on line 13-13 therein;

Figure 14 is a fragmentary perspective view of the upper portion ofY afurther modification of the ceramic element;

Figure 15 is a side elevation of the element of Figure 14 with partsbroken away to disclose interior details of construction;

Figure 16 is a perspective view of a modification of the radiator ofFigure 1 as a whole still embodying the features of the invention;

Figure 17 is a longitudinal section of the radiator of Figure 16 astaken on line 17-17 therein;

Figure 18 is a vertical section taken on line 18-18 in Figure 17;

Figure 19 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken on line 19-19 inFigure 17;

Figure 20 isa fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the heatingcoils and wiring of the radiator of Figures 16 to 19;

Figure 21 is a more complete perspective diagram of the entire heatingcoil and wiring system of the radiator of Figure 16.

Throughout the views the same reference numerals indicate the same orlike or even corresponding parts.

. It is well lmown that in modern life the matter of maintaining housesand buildings and even individual rooms andy chambers in the sameproperly heated in cold weather has received a great deal of attention.The use of steam radiators has often been the answer to the problembecause this appeared to be the most economical way of providing theheat required. In some instances, electric heaters of conventional typehave been employed, but they have been more or less expensive and alltoo often rather ineicient. Certainly, no eifective electric radiator ofany consequence has ever been generally adopted, especially any radiatorof large capacity and of portable construction.

Upon considering this problem, it has occurred to me that an electricradiator of standard radiator capacity should be available that isreasonable in cost, highly eiicient in use and also portable in form, sothat any room may be heated without expensive installations in a wholehouse being necessary. As a result, I have succeeded in producing anelectric radiator of special advantage as already outlined, which Ishall now proceed to describe in detail in the following.

Hence, in the practice of my invention, and referring also again to thedrawings, an electric radiator, generally indicated at 22 primarilyincludes a series of vertically disposed radiator elements 23, 23, etc.,held together in more or less conventional manner of machine assembly bymeans of one or more tie rods or assembly bolts 24, 25, the sameextending horizontally through the entire series and having end nuts 26screwed upon the extremities thereof. At the lower portions of the twoouter elements are mounted two end supports or legs 27, 27 held inassembled relation with the series of radiator elements by the lowerassembly bolts 2S and serving to support the radiator as a Whole. At thetop, the single assembly kbolt 24 secures not only the upper ends of theelements 23 together, but also extends through a pair of depending endlugs 28, Z8 of a sheet metal cap 29 for the radiator that has anintermediate downward fold 30 forming a `water trough for a quantity ofwater 31 for humidifying the air heated by the elements beneath thesame.

Upon the ends 32 of the cap 29 are hinged a pair of bails 33 by whichthe apparatus may be picked up and moved to desired location. However,the elements 23 are preferably of non-metallic material such as ceramic,porcelain or the like, as such material has a special capacity forabsorbing and then generally radiating heat in a useful manner. Eachelement has two inclined upright narrow side faces 34, 34 that areincreased in area by being inclined so that portions also of therelatively wider sides 35, 35 of the element is also exposed to theatmosphere for radiating heat. Within, these elements have vertical ues36, 36, 37 through which the air may freely rise when the element isheated, while upon the two outer and inner sides 35, 35', there areformed pairs of grooves 38, 38, etc., to encourage circulation of airwhen the elements are brought together by forming air passages betweenthe elements. The uppermost bolt 25 of the lower three and the top bolt24- pass through holes 39, 4@ in the elements as best seen in Figure 6,while the lower two of bolts 25 may simply extend beneath the elementsas shown in Figure 4 to directly support the series upon the U-shapedfeet 27, 27.

Upon the two wider sides 35 of each element are also provided tworelatively larger parallel grooves 41, 41 communicating near the topwith the inside ues 36, 36 by means of holes 42, 42 and near the bottomalso with the same lines through holes 43, 43 for a purpose now to bedescribed. Upon one end of the device is mounted an electrical inlet box44 for plugging in or leading off a cable 45 to whic a pair of terminals46 are connected. From one of these terminals extends a conductor 47through lower holes 43 to the end of the radiator and then continuesupwardly in one of the grooves 41 in the form of a resistance heatingcoil 48, and from the top of this extends a horizontal conductor 49through upper holes 42 in the element 23 to the groove 41 on the otherside of the same element. From this top point, a second heatingresistance coil 58 extends down through the last mentioned groove 41 tothe bottom holes 43 in the next adjacent element 23 and thence the coil48 again rises up in the next groove 41, and so on through the series.At the left end the conductors and coils are repeated in the far side ofthe elements so that a system of heating coils in duplicate is formed asshown in the diagram of Figure 10. The result is that the coils in themutually facing grooves forming enclosed passages as well as the openend grooves 41 heat the elements and the latter radiate this heatuniformly to the room containing the apparatus.

While in the elements 23 the holes 42 and 43 are provided. for thehorizontal conductors between elements, it is evident that top andbottom grooves 52 and 53 can well serve in the element 23 of Figure 8 sothat no holes for this purpose are used, the other features of theelement being exactly the same as in elements 23. The net result is thesame, for the elements, conductors and coils are otherwise the same asalready described. Whether in the first form or in the last mentionedform, the elements may be supported by the lower pair of bolts 25. but,as shown in Figure 12, this lower pair may be dispensed with altogetherand a at plate or strip 54 of metal may be welded or brazed to theU-shaped feet 2'," to support the ceramic elements, if desired.

While the elements 23 and 23 are shown hollow with tlues 36 and .37, lmay also make an element 55 solid, and provided with the ventilationgrooves 56, 56 on both wider sides corresponding to the former grooves38, while the larger grooves 59, 59 serve to enclose the heating coils48 and 56. In this case also, the top and bottom conductor grooves 68,61 may serve to pass the horizontal conductors from coil to coil insteadof using holes for this purpose, as for example indicated at 62, 62 inelement 55' in Figure 7. Both elements V5 5 and A. have opposite heatradiating ridges or ribs 63, 63 and are in all other respects the sameexcept for the conductor grooves on top and bottom of one and theconductor holes in the other.

As will be seen in Figures 14 and 15, it is not essential that theradiator be built up of a series of distinct ceramic elements, for theentire ceramic portion may be made of a single hollow block or element64 that has a plurality of vertical external radiating ribs 65, 65,while within, this element has a series of vertical heating coil grooves66, 66, etc., and is provided with top and bottom conductor grooves 67and 68 for passing conductor 69 from one coil 70 to the next in theneighboring groove 66. The holes 39, 40 serve to receive the assemblybolts, While the large aperture 71 is adapted to receive a bar or platesimilar to 54 to support the device. This form of radiator may also beprovided with a long cap 29 as in the other forms of radiator andelements described.

It is also feasible to make the unitary form of ceramic radiatorcomplete with top as shown in Figures 16 to 2l, wherein the element 72has the ends 73, 73 thereof provided below with integral feet 74, 74,while long sides 75, 75 connect these ends and an integral top 76completes the whole externally. In the ends are provided hand holes 77,77 for lifting and moving the heater at will, while externally, thesides and top are provided with a few transverse radiating ribs 78, 78.Within the top 76 and side walls 75 are a plurality of transverse coilgrooves 79, 79 separated by ribs 80, S0 that terminate short of thelower edges of the side walls to provide a bottom clearance margin forconductors between heating coils 81, 82 connected together solely at thelower ends thereof. Each coil is shaped like an inverted U and is housedbetween a pair of ribs 80, in the groove 79 formed therebetween. Asshown in the perspective circuit diagram in Figure 2l, the coils areconnected by conductors 83, 84 to terminals 85, 86 in box 87 to whichcurrent may be supplied from an outside source in conventional manner,the mutually adjacent coils being interconnected by short conductors 88,89 passing beneath the lower ends of ribs 80, 80 within the radiator.The device is thus self-contained and at one end has the leads 83 and 84extending in through holes 90 from the box 87, and otherwise has noprojecting portion thereon other than the radiating ribs 78.

In the forms of the invention, the same principles hold throughout, andthe electric current is effectively transformed into heat and theradiator serves to distribute the heat developed to the ambientatmosphere.

Manifestly, variations may be resorted to, and parts and features may bemodified or used without others within the scope of the appended claims.

Having now fully described my invention, I claim:

l. An electric radiator comprising a rectangular ceramic element havingvertically extending walls and a hollow rectangular core coextensivewith said element, two of said walls facing each other and having aplurality of longitudinal grooves on the inside surfaces of the wallsand heat radiating ribs on the outside surfaces of the walls, said ribsand grooves extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the element,electric resistance heating coils suitably recessed within said insidegrooves and connected together in spaced relation, means for supportingthe element a suitable distance above a horizontal surface in anoperative position, and a cover member enclosing the top end of thehollow core, said cover member having an intermediate trough forreceiving a suitable liquid for evaporation during radiator operation.

2. For use with an electric radiator space heater, an elongated ceramicelement having walls forming a rectangular cross-section with arectangular central core, at least two opposing walls being providedwith elongated grooves on the inner side of each opposing wall,

each of said grooves to receive a reach of a resistor heating coiltherein, and protruding elongated heat radiating ribs on the outersurface of each of said opposing walls, said grooves and ribs extendingparallel to the longitudinal axis of the element.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,170,166 Kuhn Feb. 1, 1916 10 6 Walder July l, 1919 Bennett Mar. 17,1931 Yokel May 3, 1949 Hynes Jan. 2, 1951 Mast Mar. 25, 1952

